The United Nations Human Rights Office has strongly condemned racist remarks made by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla against France captain Kylian Mbappe, describing them as dehumanising and part of a wider problem in football.
UN spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said the comments were “despicable and, regrettably, not isolated.” He stressed that public officials have a “heightened responsibility to stand against racism, discrimination and hate speech in their discourse.”
The controversy erupted after France’s victory over Paraguay in the round of 16, which included a post-match incident between Mbappe and goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Amarilla responded with a series of social media posts that targeted Mbappe’s heritage and character.
Mbappe hit back on X, calling Amarilla “a despicable woman and unworthy of your position” and stating she does not represent Paraguay. FIFA has reiterated its zero-tolerance policy on racism and is also investigating a separate incident involving streamer IShowSpeed during another World Cup match.
Both the UN and FIFA called for stronger accountability from officials, sporting bodies and social media platforms to combat racial abuse.
